The invitation of the Russian ambassador to the Nobel Prize banquet in Stockholm has sparked strong criticism from Swedish politicians, with some planning to boycott the event.

According to Aftonbladet, several leaders of opposition parties have canceled their invitations, and government representatives are considering not attending the event.

The leader of the Liberal Party, Carl Johan Georg Pehrson, stated that he "will not sit and raise a toast to the Russian ambassador while Putin's disgusting and bloody aggression in Ukraine continues."

Muharrem Demirok, leader of the Center Party, said he would not be present at the Nobel ceremony if the Russian ambassador is there. He expressed that he eagerly anticipated the opportunity to attend the ceremony and Nobel banquet but cannot do so while Russia is at war with Ukraine.

The leader of the Swedish Left Party, Nooshi Dadgostar, declared that she would not participate in Nobel festivities with a representative of the Russian regime "while bombs are falling over Ukraine."

Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, leader of the Social Democrats, mentioned that she had not received an invitation to the ceremony but stated that the Nobel Foundation should "seriously consider what it means to invite a representative of a regime that is waging a heinous and illegal war in Ukraine and is also threatening Sweden."

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his strong reaction to the decision to invite Russia, saying, "The information reached me yesterday evening, and I reacted quite sharply... The Nobel Foundation of course decides who they want to invite. But like many others, I was greatly surprised that Russia was being invited."

When asked whether he would attend the Nobel banquet, Kristersson asked for permission to return to this question later.

Representatives of the Swedish royal family announced that they had received information about the Nobel Foundation's decision but have not provided any comments so far.

Tobias Billström, Minister for Foreign Affairs, considers the Nobel Foundation's decision to be "unique among others." "The Nobel Foundation decides who can come to the party. I have not yet received an invitation," he said to TT.

Earlier, the Nobel Foundation announced its intention to invite diplomats from all countries that are diplomatically represented in Sweden and Norway, including Russia and Belarus, to its Nobel Prize award ceremony in Stockholm, unlike last year when representatives of the Russian and Belarusian embassies were not invited.

In response, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that such a decision by the Kremlin would only reinforce the sense of impunity and lead to new crimes.